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IMDbPro

Lena Waithe

  • Producer
  • Writer
  • Actress
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Lena Waithe
Lena Waithe is the ambassador for the 2023 American Black Film Festival. While you may know Lena from her on-screen performances in "Master of None" and 'Ready Player One,' she's also a creator, producer, and an Emmy-winning writer of multiple projects. "No Small Parts" takes a look at her multifaceted career in film and television.
Play clip3:48
The Rise of Lena Waithe
44 Videos
99+ Photos
Lena Waithe was born on 17 May 1984 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She is a producer and writer, known for Master of None (2015), Ready Player One (2018) and Queen & Slim (2019). She was previously married to Alana Mayo.
BornMay 17, 1984
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornMay 17, 1984
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Primetime Emmy
      • 10 wins & 26 nominations total

    Photos204

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    Known for

    Aziz Ansari in Master of None (2015)
    Master of None
    8.2
    TV Series
    • Producer
    Steven Spielberg, Ben Mendelsohn, George Michael, Simon Pegg, Mark Rylance, Perdita Weeks, Kamara Benjamin Barnett, Mandy June Turpin, T.J. Miller, Lena Waithe, Stephen Mitchell, Neet Mohan, Win Morisaki, Elliot Barnes-Worrell, Kae Alexander, Sarah Sharman, Robert Gilbert, Raed Abbas, Letitia Wright, Tye Sheridan, Asan N'Jie, Hannah John-Kamen, Cara Theobold, Olivia Cooke, Alphonso Austin, Amy Clare Beales, Jane Leaney, Kathryn Wilder, and Philip Zhao in Ready Player One (2018)
    Ready Player One
    7.4
    • Aech
    • Helen
    • 2018
    Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith in Queen & Slim (2019)
    Queen & Slim
    7.1
    • Producer(p.g.a.)
    • 2019
    The Chi (2018)
    The Chi
    7.5
    TV Series
    • Producer

    Credits

    IMDbPro

    Producer

    • Mushroom Dad
      • executive producer
      • Completed
      • Short
      • 2025
    • Birth of Cool
      • executive producer
      • In Development
      • TV Series
    • The Chi (2018)
      The Chi
      7.5
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • 2018–2026
    • Freyr (2025)
      Freyr
      Short
      • executive producer
      • 2025
    • Killing Jar (2025)
      Killing Jar
      Short
      • executive producer
      • 2025
    • Tommy Dewey and Sasheer Zamata in Something Real (2025)
      Something Real
      9.1
      Short
      • executive producer
      • 2025
    • Jovie Leigh and Kailen Jude in The Stand (2025)
      The Stand
      Short
      • executive producer
      • 2025
    • Window Cleaners (2025)
      Window Cleaners
      Short
      • executive producer
      • 2025
    • Move Ya Body: The Birth of House (2025)
      Move Ya Body: The Birth of House
      7.5
      • executive producer
      • 2025
    • Back Home (2024)
      Back Home
      5.1
      Short
      • executive producer
      • 2024
    • Bitter Leaf (2024)
      Bitter Leaf
      8.2
      Short
      • executive producer
      • 2024
    • Endling (2024)
      Endling
      8.3
      Short
      • executive producer
      • 2024
    • Bobby Soto in Fireline (2024)
      Fireline
      8.2
      Short
      • executive producer
      • 2024
    • Daniel Fitzgerald, Erika Aldana, Mariia Kachynska, Camila Madero, David Tsai, Lena Waithe, S.K. Wong, Sheldon Bailey, Joshua Cole, Janet Hsieh, Armida Lopez, Tatum Brontë, Jay Swuen, Manuel Del Valle, Juan Mendizabal, and Sebastian Segura in In the Fold (2024)
      In the Fold
      Short
      • executive producer
      • producer
      • 2024
    • Technicians (2024)
      Technicians
      8.6
      Short
      • executive producer
      • 2024
    • Denée Benton in Tender Thoughts (2024)
      Tender Thoughts
      Short
      • executive producer
      • 2024
    • Paul Dillon, Darrin Navarro, Sophie Kay, Taehee Kim, Caroline Ho, Ki Jin Kim, Tim Beers Jr., Spencer Kramber, Rasa Partin, Jongman Kim, Sara Beers, Hanrui Wang, Hailey Soomin Lee, and Justin Kim WooSok in Sarajin (2023)
      Sarajin
      7.2
      Short
      • executive producer
      • 2023

    Writer

    • Untitled Lena Waithe Project
      • Writer
      • Completed
      • TV Movie
    • The Chi (2018)
      The Chi
      7.5
      TV Series
      • written by
      • created by
      • 2018–2026
    • Kym (2022)
      Kym
      3.1
      Podcast Series
      • written by
      • 2022
    • Beauty (2022)
      Beauty
      4.2
      • written by
      • 2022
    • Christina Elmore and Jojo T. Gibbs in Twenties (2020)
      Twenties
      6.9
      TV Series
      • created by
      • written by
      • 2020–2021
    • Aziz Ansari in Master of None (2015)
      Master of None
      8.2
      TV Series
      • written by
      • 2017–2021
    • Boomerang (2019)
      Boomerang
      5.9
      TV Series
      • developed by
      • written by
      • created by
      • 2019–2020
    • Kylee Russell, Kayla Maisonet, Anjelika Washington, Yindra Zayas, and Gi'onna Kamille in Girls Room (2020)
      Girls Room
      7.2
      TV Series
      • Writer
      • 2020
    • Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith in Queen & Slim (2019)
      Queen & Slim
      7.1
      • screenplay
      • story
      • 2019
    • Rising (2018)
      Rising
      8.2
      Short
      • Writer
      • 2018
    • David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel in Bones (2005)
      Bones
      7.8
      TV Series
      • written by
      • staff writer (as Lena D. Waithe, as Lena D. Waithe)
      • 2014–2015
    • Hayley Marie Norman, Brandon Scott, and Ashley Blaine Featherson-Jenkins in Hello Cupid (2013)
      Hello Cupid
      7.9
      TV Series
      • story
      • creator
      • 2013
    • M.O. Diaries (2012)
      M.O. Diaries
      4.0
      TV Series
      • Writer
      • 2012
    • Lulu Antariksa, Noah Crawford, Cymphonique Miller, Samantha Boscarino, Max Schneider, Halston Sage, and Chris O'Neal in How to Rock (2012)
      How to Rock
      5.4
      TV Series
      • written by
      • Writer (as Lena D. Waithe)
      • 2012
    • Save Me
      5.0
      Short
      • writer
      • 2011

    Actress

    • Place to Be
      • Shy
      • Completed
      • 2026
    • Nick Kroll, Zach Woods, June Diane Raphael, and Sabrina Jalees in Mating Season (2026)
      Mating Season
      6.6
      TV Series
      • Alex (voice)
      • 2026
    • Hey A.J.! (2026)
      Hey A.J.!
      7.5
      TV Series
      • Tanisha (voice)
      • 2026
    • The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (2022)
      The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder
      3.3
      TV Series
      • College Maya
      • Maya at 35
      • Maya at 19 (voice)
      • 2022–2025
    • Maya Rudolph, Jessi Klein, Jason Mantzoukas, Nick Kroll, John Mulaney, and Ayo Edebiri in Big Mouth (2017)
      Big Mouth
      7.8
      TV Series
      • Lena (voice)
      • 2020–2025
    • James Pickens Jr., Ellen Pompeo, and Chandra Wilson in Grey's Anatomy (2005)
      Grey's Anatomy
      7.6
      TV Series
      • Dr. Evynn Moore
      • 2025
    • Tell Me Something Messy
      Podcast Series
      • 2024
    • Jacob Latimore and Tosin Cole in House Party (2023)
      House Party
      4.4
      • Lena Waithe
      • 2023
    • Tab Time (2021)
      Tab Time
      8.8
      TV Series
      • 2021–2022
    • Kym (2022)
      Kym
      3.1
      Podcast Series
      • The Funeral Director
      • The Drive Thru Employee
      • Christina the Hairdresser
      • 2022
    • Pamela Adlon in Better Things (2016)
      Better Things
      7.9
      TV Series
      • Eli
      • 2022
    • The L Word: Generation Q (2019)
      The L Word: Generation Q
      7.4
      TV Series
      • Eddie
      • 2021
    • Aziz Ansari in Master of None (2015)
      Master of None
      8.2
      TV Series
      • Denise
      • 2015–2021
    • The Chi (2018)
      The Chi
      7.5
      TV Series
      • Camille Hallaway
      • 2020
    • Westworld (2016)
      Westworld
      8.4
      TV Series
      • Ash
      • 2020
    • Rashida Jones and Kenya Barris in #BlackAF (2020)
      #BlackAF
      6.8
      TV Series
      • Lena Waithe
      • 2020
    • In-development projects at IMDbPro

    Videos44

    The Rise of Lena Waithe
    Clip 3:48
    The Rise of Lena Waithe
    How Teyana Taylor Reflects New York City's Women in 'A Thousand and One'
    Clip 2:58
    How Teyana Taylor Reflects New York City's Women in 'A Thousand and One'
    How Teyana Taylor Reflects New York City's Women in 'A Thousand and One'
    Clip 2:58
    How Teyana Taylor Reflects New York City's Women in 'A Thousand and One'
    7 Tribeca Festival Films We Can't Wait to See
    Clip 4:31
    7 Tribeca Festival Films We Can't Wait to See
    Kevin Smith's 6 Films to Watch Out For at Sundance 2020
    Clip 3:35
    Kevin Smith's 6 Films to Watch Out For at Sundance 2020
    I Think You Should
    Clip 0:57
    I Think You Should
    How 'Queen' Met 'Slim' on a Powerful Film of Firsts
    Interview 4:13
    How 'Queen' Met 'Slim' on a Powerful Film of Firsts

    Personal details

    • Official sites
      • Facebook
      • Instagram
    • Alternative name
      • Lena D. Waithe
    • Height
      • 5′ 9″ (1.75 m)
    • Born
      • May 17, 1984
      • Chicago, Illinois, USA
    • Spouse
      • Alana MayoNovember 2019 - May 2021 (divorced)
    • Parents
      • Ethel Laverne
    • Relatives
      • Sibling(Sibling)
    • Other works
      TV commercial for Nike
    • Publicity listings
      • 1 Interview
      • 1 Article

    Did you know

    • Trivia
      Received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in cinema and television arts from Columbia College Chicago (CCC) (2006).
    • Quotes
      Here's the thing. I was raised on deep dish pizza. So, what you guys call pizza, I don't think that it's pizza. I think it's cheese bread.
    • Nickname
      • Katraukus

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